Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc.
(Publication Archives)

Friday Fax from Albany

Text of Assembly Press Release on Passage of Timothy’s Law:

ASSEMBLY PASSES
MENTAL HEALTH PARITY LEGISLATION

ALBANY—Speaker Sheldon Silver reported the successful passage of legislation, known statewide as Timothy’s Law, which would eliminate the discriminatory practices of the health insurance industry that limit coverage for mental health and chemical and substance abuse treatment.

Under current law, insurance companies that offer policies of health insurance coverage may deny coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of mental illnesses and chemical dependency. In addition, insurance companies that do offer policies covering these areas may place a limit on the number of days or visits permitted and may also charge higher prices for the coverage of mental illnesses or substance abuse than for non-mental health services. “I commend Speaker Silver and Chairman Rivera for their leadership on this issue,” said Tonko.

“With advancements treatment and prevention, the time has long since passed that we stamp out discrimination and injustice against those who struggle with mental illness and chemical dependency,” Tonko said.

The bill, promoted by the Timothy’s Law Coalition, a broad-based organization of mental health and chemical dependency service advocates, takes aim at the failure of many health care policies to cover mental health and substance abuse conditions and the discriminatory application of policy conditions and limitations.

Tonko credited the O’Clair’s with their outspoken advocacy and ongoing presence in advocating for the legislation, and was pleased that, “legislators opened their doors as the O’Clair’s opened their hearts to share their tragic story of what denial of mental health coverage can mean to a family.” The O’Clair’s lost their 12 year old son to suicide after coverage limits forced them to relinquish custody of their son to the state to get him needed treatment.

While health insurance contracts are currently required to partially cover substance abuse treatment, there is no mandated insurance coverage of substance abuse rehabilitation. This bill mandates equal insurance coverage and payment rates for the diagnosis and treatment of mental health and substance abuse services as provided for other health services.

"This bill will establish the right of individuals who suffer from mental illness or chemical dependency to receive the same level of coverage and treatment as those afflicted with physical ailments," Tonko said. "This measure will provide both financial relief to those individuals who are faced with footing the bill when they exhaust their insurance coverage and will help eliminate the social stigma often attached to individuals with these illnesses."

Tom and Donna O’Clair were present in the Assembly chamber as the legislation passed. “I’d like to thank the Assembly on behalf of anyone who has gone through a situation like ours, or more importantly, could avoid a similar situation because of this legislation,” said Tom O’Clair.

"Many thanks to Assemblyman Tonko and his colleagues for their leadership in working to secure the passage of Timothy's Law. With the momentum this issue has, and the committed support of MHANYS and dozens of other organizations, I believe that 2004 is the year that New York ends insurance discrimination against mental illness and chemical dependency,” said Joe Glazier of the Mental Health Association.

“We're so pleased with the responsiveness of the Assembly to meet the needs of all children and families in New York State. The O'Clair's representative, Assemblyman Paul Tonko has made it his mission to end this type of discrimination and save people's lives,” said Paige Macdonald, Chairperson of the Timothy’s Law Campaign and Families Together in NYS.

PHONE-IN FOR
TIMOTHY’S LAW

Tuesday, March 9th

Call the NYS Senate switchboard at (518) 455-2800.

Ask to be connected to your Senator and tell them, “No one should die because of insurance restrictions! Please ask Senator Bruno to bring Timothy’s Law (S.5329/A.8301) to the floor for a vote, NOW!”

THEN,

Call the Senate switchboard again, ask to be connected with Senate Majority Leader Bruno’s office ask him to “Please bring Timothy’s Law to the floor for a vote, NOW!”

For more information on Timothy’s Law events, go to www.mhanys.org/timothyslaw or by joining Timothy’s Team at http://mail.kilakwa.net/mailman/listinfo/timothysteam_kilakwa.net for periodic e-mail updates.

Download flyer

No one should die because of insurance restrictions!

Join hundreds of supporters of Timothy’s Law (S.5329/A.8301) on the steps of the New York State Capitol, and then meet with
Legislators to ask them to pass the bill.

11:30 - Rally at Capitol Steps 1:00 to 3:00 - Legislative Visits We plan to have buses from Buffalo, Binghamton, Syracuse, Westchester, New York City and Long Island.

Information on transportation to the rally will be available at www.mhanys.org/timothyslaw or by joining Timothy’s Team at http://mail.kilakwa.net/mailman/listinfo/timothysteam_kilakwa.net for periodic e-mail updates.

Please contact Debbi Davis at the Mental Health Association in New York State to register for the Rally in Albany for Timothy’s Law, and to coordinate transportation to the rally in Albany.

Debbi Davis: (518) 434-0439 ext. 17 or ddavis@mhanys.org

Download flyer

MHANYS and Samaritans Suicide Prevention Center
2004 Legislative Conference

Date: Monday, March 22, 2004

Location: Room 711-A, Legislative Office Building, Albany, NY

Time: 8:30 – 12:00 Noon, individual meetings afterward

Mental Health Association in New York State and
Samaritans Suicide Prevention Center
Legislative Conference

March 22, 2004
Room 711-A
Legislative Office Building

REGISTRATION FORM

Name ____________________________________________________________

Organization ______________________________________________________

Address __________________________________________________________

City ______________________________ State _________ Zip _____________

Phone _____________________________Fax ___________________________

E-Mail___________________________________________________________

Number of Attendees: ____________

Names of Attendees:

__________________________ ___________________________

__________________________ ___________________________

__________________________ ___________________________

__________________________ ___________________________

FAX OR E-MAIL TO:
Michael Seereiter, Director of Public Policy
MHANYS
194 Washington Avenue, Suite 415
Albany, NY 12210
FAX: (518) 427-8676
mseereiter@mhanys.org

In the News:

Senate Republicans reject hand gun permit fee hike, closing of psych center. By Alicia Chang
Associated Press, February 26, 2004

The Republican-led state Senate is rejecting Gov. George Pataki's plan to increase handgun permit fees and to close the Middletown Psychiatric Center, a state lawmaker and spokesman for Majority Leader Joseph Bruno said Thursday.

The Senate also plans to rescue the Middletown Psychiatric Center and reject Pataki's proposal to create a bipartisan commission to determine how many of the state's 26 aging psychiatric hospitals should remain open.

The proposed state Commission for the Closure of State Psychiatric Centers would have the power to recommend hospital closings through 2010. Under Pataki's plan the panel would consist of eight voting members with four chosen by the governor and two each picked by the Senate and Assembly.

Bonacic said the Legislature should retain "the power to eliminate mental health facilities when appropriate."

"It's a prerogative we don't want to relinquish to the governor," he said.

The patient population at Middletown has fallen from more than 3,600 to 115. Inpatients would be transferred to nearby centers in 2005 and almost 370 workers would be reassigned, transferred or laid off under Pataki's executive budget proposal.

"We believe the governor's proposals are the right thing to do for New Yorkers with mental illness and most mental health advocates agree," said Michael Marr, a spokesman for Pataki's budget office. He declined to comment about the Senate's rejection of the added handgun permit fees.

The Pataki administration predicted annual savings of almost $7 million from closing Middletown, about 60 miles north of New York City. That money then would be reinvested into community-based programs in the area. Closure would also mean avoiding capital expenses of $27 million, the governor's budget said.

The Democrat-led Assembly is also rejecting Pataki's proposal to shut down Middletown because the administration failed to follow the legal rules to determine whether the center should be closed, said Assembly Mental Health Committee Chairman Peter Rivera.

Joseph Glazer, president of Mental Health Association in New York State, said the Pataki proposal to form the commission is a positive step to address mental health care in New York.

"We believe no major changes should occur in the absence of a comprehensive plan for community based mental health care," he said. "In proposing the commission, the governor made a huge step forward ... we will come back each year to fight proposed closures that don't have plans attached to them."

Legislative opposition to Pataki's plan to close Middletown was first reported in the Middletown Times Herald-Record by the Ottaway News Service.

Timothy's Law must be passed . . . Letter to the Editor
Journal News, February 29, 2004

Your Feb. 22 editorial, "Beyond Kendra's Law," addressing New York state's short-sightedness regarding the mentally ill hit the nail on the head. Hopefully, it will awaken our state legislators, insurance companies and the general public about the absolute need for increased funding of mental-health services.

It is absolutely absurd that in our day and age, society and our insurance companies continue to restrict mental-health treatment as if we still lived in the "dark ages." In addition, the reduction of state funding for mental-health services sends a negative signal to those afflicted with mental illness. Are they second-class citizens? Have we not made any progress in educating the public in the past 20 or 30 years? Are we regressing to the days of old when the mentally ill were literally put away and forgotten?

If the Legislature does anything this year, it must pass Timothy's Law and provide the parity needed in our insurance system. Let us not continue to look the other way and hope the problem disappears. Let us act so those in need of mental-health services will receive the necessary treatment in order to provide them with an "equal opportunity" so they may go forth with confidence and hope for the future.

Edward J. Murphy,
Carmel

. . . Oppose cuts in mental-health funding. Letter to the Editor
Journal News, February 29, 2004

With a few well-chosen adjectives — "inadequate," "unsustained," "meager" — "Beyond Kendra's Law" accurately captured the reality of mental-health services funding in New York state. The proposed $7.7 million state budget cut to community mental-health services comes just as more and more children and teens are in need of evaluation and treatment.

Dollars made available by reducing the number of state-operated adult psychiatric hospital beds are reinvested in innovative community-based resources. Putnam Family Support and Advocacy is a grassroots family-operated support and referral service funded with reinvested dollars. In 2003, the agency worked with 488 families, public school personnel, and service providers seeking assessment and treatment resources for suicidal 10-year-olds, 14-year-old runaways and 17-year-olds who have overdosed on street drugs. Putnam kids. Putnam families. Putnam voters. With last year's state budget, Putnam Family Support and Advocacy's 2004 funding has already been cut. Only 2 1/2 advocates are working with hundreds of callers.

"Beyond Kendra's Law" also clearly stated that Timothy's Law must be passed. When our kids require treatment for a broken arm, asthma or diabetes, full medical care is provided by insurers and providers. But when these same kids present with suicidal thoughts or mood swings which put themselves or others in danger, insured treatment is extremely limited or nonexistent.

I urge Putnam voters to call Sen. Vincent Leibell, Assemblyman Will Stephens and Assemblywoman Sandra Galef to oppose the $7.7 million proposed budget cut. Our kids need us. Now.

Pam Forde,
Carmel
The writer is director of advocacy, Putnam Family Support and Advocacy Inc.

Mental health care is not a luxury. Letter to the Editor
Post-Standard, March 2, 2004

Reading your article Feb. 17 about health insurance mandates, I was greatly dismayed. To be sure, the cost of health insurance is a serious problem, especially for small businesses. But to suggest this problem can effectively or justly be dealt with by blocking legislation that would ensure equal coverage for mental health care is shortsighted at best.

Currently, it is perfectly legal for insurance companies to limit the amount, type or duration of mental-health care. We would never allow such constraints on cardiac care, say, or oncology. Why discriminate against the mentally ill?

In bringing the cost of basic medical care within the reach of everyone, we cannot forget that mental health care is not a luxury - it is health care of the most basic kind.

Laura Roddy
Sauquoit

Until next time, we remain,
Working to ensure available and accessible
mental health services for all New Yorkers